Kerr's Miniature Railway

{{Short description|Defunct miniature railway}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}

File:KerrRailway.jpg]]

Kerr's Miniature Railway was a {{RailGauge|10.25in}} gauge railway, a {{cvt|1/2|mi|m}} return ride, adjacent to the Dundee-Aberdeen line in West Links Park Arbroath. It was the oldest miniature railway in Scotland, having first opened for business in 1935. Under its original owner, Matthew Kerr (senior), it was a commercial business but since 1979, when it passed to his son, Matthew Kerr Jnr, it had been run as a non-profit concern.

With the death of Matthew Kerr Jnr, owner of Kerr's Miniature Railway, on 17 April 2006 after a prolonged illness, the future of the railway had been uncertain; however, Kerr's widow and son continued to run the railway with the help of volunteers.

File:Kerr's Miniature Railway.jpg

The railway had six locomotives, two of which were steam and built by Herbert Bullock in the 1930s. The railway also operated three miniature vehicles (two buses and a fire engine), which gave rides to children along the Arbroath seafront.

File:MatthewBKerr.jpg.]]

Fares as of 2020 were £2.50 for both adults and children, with trains running weekends from April to end of September and both Easter and Summer local school holidays from 11am to 4pm.

In 2013, an extension to the entrance of West Links Park was planned.{{cite news | first = Graeme | last = Bletcher | title = Extension plans for Arbroath miniature railway run out of steam | date = 5 April 2013 | publisher = DC Thomson | url = http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/angus-the-mearns/extension-plans-for-arbroath-miniature-railway-run-out-of-steam-1.82179 | work = The Courier | access-date = 8 August 2013}}{{cite web | url = http://planning.angus.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=MQ6QI5CF07200 | website = planning.angus.gov.uk | title = 3/00679/FULL / Extension To Miniature Railway Line And Formation Of New Station / West Links Queens Drive Arbroath | access-date = 8 August 2013 | date = 19 July 2013 | publisher = Angus Council}}

It was announced in August 2020 that, due to falling passenger numbers, the railway would close in early October 2020.End of the line: Kerr's Miniature Railway will close after 85 years The Railway Magazine issue 1434 September 2020 page 8[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-54250044 'Bittersweet' farewell for Scotland's oldest miniature railway] 3 October 2020, www.bbc.co.uk, accessed 3 October 2020 The railway closed indefinitely on 11 October 2020.[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/11/scotlands-oldest-miniature-steam-railway-finally-runs-out-of-puff Scotland’s oldest miniature steam railway finally runs out of puff] 11 October 2020 www.theguardian.com, accessed 21 October 2020

In April 2025, Angus Council was reported to be discussing a new 20-year lease on the site with the former operator, with a view to reopening the railway.{{cite news |last1=Johnston |first1=Howard |title=Regional News |work=RAIL Magazine |issue=1032 |publisher=Bauer Consumer Media |date=2 April 2025 |location=Peterborough |page=27}}